US House of Representatives will not vote before #fiscalcliff deadline

US lawmakers missed their deadline to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" Monday but said they were near to finding a deal to ease the worst impact of the crisis by heading off tax hikes. Top political leaders appeared on the verge of a last-gasp deal to resolve the tax side of the showdown, but they fell short of an agreement on slashing spending cuts, which are also due to come into force on Tuesday. Despite rising hopes, the economy will technically go over the cliff at midnight after the aides to Republican leaders in the House of Representatives said no vote on a pact could be scheduled before Tuesday. While automatic spending cuts and tax hikes will come into force, global stock markets will be closed on New Year's Day, giving lawmakers a few more hours of breathing room before panic over the US economy sets in. "We don't have anything to vote on," a senior Republican...